It has been the capital of Bulgaria since April the 4th,
1879. It is located in the southern part of a valley, at
the northern side of Mt. Vitosha and Mt. Lyulin. It was
founded in the 8th-7th centuries BC. The ancient Romans
conquered it in 29 AD and named it Serdika. Later in the
9th century, it was called Sredets. Its present name dates
back to the late 14th century when the town was named after
the St. Sofia Church.
There
are many places of historical and cultural interest that
you might want to visit in downtown Sofia such as: The
Alexander Nevski Cathedral (constructed in 1912), The
Ivan Vazoff Theater, The Russian Church (1913), The Bania
Bashi Mosque, the building of The National Assembly (The
Parliament, built in 1884), etc.
Throughout
the year you can attend various events, e.g. concerts and
folklore shows, in the National Palace of Culture (NDK).
